Daughter of COL Sink to Represent 506th Association in Ceremonies in Belgium

Posted by kelliloar Nov 10, 2014

Daughter of COL Sink to Represent 506th Association in Ceremonies in Belgium

November 10, 2014 at 3:44 PM

Daughter of COL Sink to Represent 506th Association in Ceremonies in Belgium

Folsom, CA– November 10, 2014

The 506th Association announced today that Robin Sink McClelland, HMoR, will represent the 506th Association in Belgium for events commemorating the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. A group of residents of the towns of Foy, Noville, and Recogne, Belgium, mobilized their neighbors to raise funds to bring a WWII Currahee or relative for the celebration. The four leaders of the effort are Joel Robert, Louis Galderoux, Stany Crespinet and Guy Devresse.

While there, McClelland will participate in the commemorative events on December 13th in and around Bastogne. McClelland will visit battle sites including the Command Posts her father established during the Battle of the Bulge and will attend the signing of Ian Gardner’s book, No Victory in Valhalla, the third in his three-part series on the 506th PIR, 3rd Battalion. WWII veterans Bob Izumi and Bill Galbraith, both WWII G Company men, also will be present for the events. Izumi and Galbraith will join Helen Patton, granddaughter of General George Patton, and Kenny McAuliffe, great-nephew of General Anthony McAuliffe at official events during the commemoration.

When the opportunity to attend the events arose, McClelland consulted with Chairman John Lally, whose reaction was immediate, “I urged Robin to accept the invitation on behalf of the entire 506th from WWII until the present. She has an extraordinary perspective on the regiment’s history, and will do a terrific job.”

Robin McClelland is the daughter of COL (later LTG) Robert F. Sink, commander of the WWII 506th PIR. She is an Honorary Member of the Regiment (HMoR) for her efforts in support of veterans. In 1999 she resumed publication of the dormant FIVE-O-SINK Newsletter, a publication written by and for the “Sinkmen” almost continuously since 1977. The final edition was published in 2013. Since that time, as a special correspondent to the Currahee Newsletter McClelland contributes news about the WWII veterans.

According to the plans underway, McClelland will stay in the home of a local family. She says, “It will be an honor to participate in the 70th Anniversary events with people whose families lived through the battles during the winter of 1944-45. We will visit command posts, battle sites, foxholes and farms where the men of the 506th fought, and where so many gave their lives”.

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The Association will accept tax-deductible contributions by mail, or electronically through their website. The Association is a charitable War Veterans Organization under IRS section 501(c) (19), and as such, contributions are tax deductible.